On February 14, Zengcheng Church held a groundbreaking ceremony in Guangzhou for the new church’s off-site reconstruction. About 250 pastoral staff and churchgoer representatives across the city attended the event.
According to Guangzhou Municipal CC&TSPM, at the groundbreaking ceremony, Rev. Xie Muyue, vice chairperson of Guangzhou CC&TSPM, gave an explanation of the church construction project.
Then, Rev. Guo Yun, chairperson of Guangzhou CC&TSPM, said that the Guangzhou Christian community should take the construction of the new church in Zengcheng as an opportunity to integrate with Lingnan culture, humanities and arts, and economic development, and explore and demonstrate the specific practice of the sinicization of Christianity in Guangzhou.
Subsequently, Li Xianming, executive deputy minister of the district committee’s United Front Work Department and the director of the Zengcheng District Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, put forward relevant requirements for the church construction project: highlight the Chinese style and Lingnan characteristics; serve society and play a bridging role; adhere to the bottom line of safety; and ensure the project is completed on schedule.
Gao Fei, deputy director of the Guangzhou Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, said that the relocation and reconstruction of Zengcheng Church is an important measure for the rational planning and layout of Christian venues. It not only can properly solve the potential safety hazards of the old church but also meet the practical needs of churchgoers.
It is learned that spanning a history of 137 years, Zengcheng Church originated in 1887, when the Swedish Evangelical Free Church of America (now the Evangelical Free Church of America) established the Evangelical Free Church in Guangdong.
After the implementation of the religious policy in 1979, Zengcheng Church was reopened on August 8, 1983. This year, in order to further rationally plan and layout Christian activity venues and better meet the religious needs of churchgoers, Guangzhou CC&TSPM plans to rebuild Zengcheng Church in a different location, covering an area of 2,513.93 square meters, with a religious function area of about 858 square meters. The main building and the side chapel can accommodate about 600 people.
- Translated by Livingstone Shi
